(CNN) - The deal ending the shutdown may not have put a dent in Obamacare, but the battle over implementing the health coverage law is not over.

One venue that Republicans are turning to for leverage, starting next week: oversight hearings, beginning with some tough questions about why the rollout of the website for enrolling in health care exchanges is having so many problems.

soundoff(126 Responses)

Sniffit

"would invent yet another piece of fiction about how they are supposedly being blamed, and then complain about it."

Except they are being (partially) blamed, and rightfully so. The website only became an massive, unwieldy project because red states controlled by the GOP/Teatrolls refused to set up their own state-based exchanges because they are petulant, spiteful children who (a) didn't want to eat their broccoli and (b) wanted to break and hamper the implementation of the ACA and certainly hoped that their refusal to create their state-based exchanges would, in fact, cause problems just like this.

October 18, 2013 11:28 am at 11:28 am |

Rudy NYC

Ron L wrote:

... ... The Democrats had the entire government and attemptted to change that dynamic. I feel they should have focused on the economy first, but that is a totally different issue.
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That's how it happened in the right wing bubble's alternate reality. The Stimulus bill was passed in the spring of 2009, which was supposed to focus on stimulating the economy. Unfortunately, the bill was to heavily laden with "job stimulating" tax cuts to be as truly effective as it could have been.

October 18, 2013 11:35 am at 11:35 am |

GOP = Greed Over People

BREAKING NEWS: Obamacare(s) works just fine. Pick up the phone, call an 800 number, have a nice human take your information and submit it for income verification.

@ST: "Can anyone explain me what is wrong with the former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs? Why is this man so bitter? He wants Kathleen Sebelius to be fired. Would he had said the same if he was still on the same position as Press Secretary?"

I can't speak for Robert Gibbs, but I will say that, no, Kathleen Sebelius should not be fired. Nor do I think Obamacare glitches warrants the additional cost a congressional hearing.

October 18, 2013 11:40 am at 11:40 am |

Rudy NYC

Sniffit wrote:

Except they are being (partially) blamed, and rightfully so. The website only became an massive, unwieldy project because red states controlled by the GOP/Teatrolls refused to set up their own state-based exchanges because they are petulant, spiteful children who (a) didn't want to eat their broccoli and (b) wanted to break and hamper the implementation of the ACA and certainly hoped that their refusal to create their state-based exchanges would, in fact, cause problems just like this.
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That's no excuse, either. The web site should have been robust enough to handle worst case scenarios, up to and including denial of service attacks. The red state governers made no secret of the fact that they would not be participating. Furthermore, the site should have the capacity to handle the curiousity seekers from other states, anyway. I also keep hearing reports that the site is built on outdated technology.

October 18, 2013 11:45 am at 11:45 am |

Data Driven

@Son-of-a-Gunderson,

So you at admit that $24 billion is on the GOP's ledger.

Here's the difference between the $17T and the $24B: the first has come about from spending in order to maintain this empire of ours. We can argue if any of that has been well-spent, but it is what it is. The $24 billion, however, just WENT UP IN SMOKE, to no purpose whatever, thanks to the rebels in Congress.

October 18, 2013 11:48 am at 11:48 am |

TONE

The republicans are drowning so they are latching on to anything to keep them a float in this case a straw, a total waste of time, Nancy Pelosi will be the new speaker of the house before the midterm election in 2014. mark my words.

Damn straight Sniffit! I agree. If a group of individuals are willing to blow millions of dollars to mislead the public, it's not that much of a stretch to believe they wouldn't hire hackers to make it fail. Remember how many of them called Snowden a hero and patriot.

Also I don't trust the GOP as far as I could throw the skinniest one in the bunch. They desperately want the plan to fail and they've invested millions to ensure their outcome.

October 18, 2013 11:57 am at 11:57 am |

sonny chapman

In this upcoming WAR(no John Boehner, it's not a damn game, it's a WAR), could the MSM PLEASE focus on the STATE Web Sites that are running well because their Governors put the needs of their state citizens in trying to commit the SIN of getting Health Insurance, ahead of POLITICS

October 18, 2013 11:57 am at 11:57 am |

Jeff Frank (R-ohio) "Right Wing Insanity"

Profile Of A Typical Republican That Posts Here: Typical? You need to take a good whiff of what your shovelin'.

October 18, 2013 11:58 am at 11:58 am |

TONE

Republicans have become mostly a distraction they are like a little fly on the wall that the President just swat.

October 18, 2013 12:00 pm at 12:00 pm |

TONE

Before the 2014 elections there will be a jobs bill pass, and immigration reform pass. Mark my words.

October 18, 2013 12:02 pm at 12:02 pm |

Lolo

The GOP/TP Trolls should try teaching their sheep how to use technology instead of teaching hate, them maybe they can get through online for healthcare. I bet me paycheck that they are the only idiots having problems and they want to raise a stink about it hoping to stop Obamacare. They will go to any lenghts to smear President Obama. Also you know they are crazy because they stiil think that their party is not racist and the whole world sees that they are full of racism and hatred for any one who does not look or think like them. Too funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

October 18, 2013 12:04 pm at 12:04 pm |

Sniffit

"If a group of individuals are willing to blow millions of dollars to mislead the public, it's not that much of a stretch to believe they wouldn't hire hackers to make it fail."

Woah. A bridge too far. I've heard no reports of hackers and I was in no way trying to claim that was part of it. Without concrete evidence of something like that, I'd prefer to rely on what we do have evidence of.

October 18, 2013 12:05 pm at 12:05 pm |

Vince

Don't care about the website issues. Obamacare is law and will continue to be. Figure out a way to get compliant with the requirements, or pay your fine.

October 18, 2013 12:07 pm at 12:07 pm |

Rudy NYC

TONE

Before the 2014 elections there will be a jobs bill pass, and immigration reform pass. Mark my words.
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Hopefully, but we must first pass through yet another looming shutdown/debt debacle three months from now. Seeing how 2014 will he an election year for the entire House, I don't hold out much hope of any of the tri-cornered hat wearing members to vote for any increased spending for a jobs bill.

Seeing how the right wing's biggest fear of immigration is the potential to increase the liberal base by millions of immigrants, I don't see much chance of any reform passing, either. And it is so ironic, too, because a decade ago the Republicans had the Hispanic immigrant community locked away from liberals. Many Hispanics had favored Republicans because the right wing was promoting policies that created jobs for them. In other words, it was the Republicans made it easier to enter illegally and work for lower than averages, which was good for business and bad for unions.

October 18, 2013 12:19 pm at 12:19 pm |

Sniffit

"That's no excuse, either."

I think you confuse "explanation" with "excuse." I'm not denying that there are problems, some of which should have been addressed or never even occurred. However, you can't ignore that the ACA was written with the expectation that all states would take part in building their own exchanges...even red ones (perhaps particularly the red ones, who would want to control it instead of ceding it to the feds if they were being consistent)...and the funding and other aspects of it were built around that expectation. Pointing out that there are REASONS for the troubles it encountered and what those REASONS are does not equate with "making excuses." Moreover, pointing out one reason does not preclude that there are others. However, I think this is an important point to acknowledge when the very people who have been trying to create these kinds of problems are now going to run around denying that their attempts to do so contributed to those problems occurring. It's like they fell asleep smoking in bed and now want to sue the cigarette company for their house burning down.

October 18, 2013 12:28 pm at 12:28 pm |

TONE

@Rudy
I agree with you all the way, but i have a gut feeling that their will be defections by moderate Republicans before the 2014 elections giving Nancy Pelosi the speakership, it might sound delusional but that is how i feel.

October 18, 2013 12:32 pm at 12:32 pm |

Hector Slagg

Tone
Is it possible you are an "Un Documneted" person. If so and you want to become a Citizen of the U S. the shortestt, and only route is return to your own country and put in your application. If you are waiting for Amnesty, you will wait forever.

With the continuing Liberal Mantra and the National Debt still rising no one is going to pass any bill to give anyone Amnesty.. You don't want the bill now being considered as you will have to go to the back of the line, pay back taxes and a fine.

Sorry Sniffit, I haven't heard any reports of hackers either. I'm just saying, nothing would surprise me. They've spent millions misleading the public and they two weeks ago they shut the government down. I don't trust them.

I never meant to imply you were talking about hackers, those were my suspicions, not yours.

I never meant to imply you were talking about hackers, those were just my suspicions because I don't trust anyone with an R behind their names.

I apologize for the confusion.

October 18, 2013 12:41 pm at 12:41 pm |

TONE

@Hector Slagg

Sorry to disappoint you I am a US citizen, and a vet.

October 18, 2013 12:52 pm at 12:52 pm |

Rudy NYC

Hector Slagg wrote:

With the continuing Liberal Mantra and the National Debt still rising no one is going to pass any bill to give anyone Amnesty.. You don't want the bill now being considered as you will have to go to the back of the line, pay back taxes and a fine.
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"Deficits don't matter." But, elections count. Seeing how you suggested that he leave the country and "go to the back of the line", I ask you, "what difference does it make?"

October 18, 2013 12:56 pm at 12:56 pm |

Lynda/Minnesota

@Wake Up:

Hey, girlfriend. Hang on to that beautiful sunrise you so eloquently described for me! And your beautiful grandchildren who call you their own!